Attachment for bedsteads and the like.



J. TAYLOR.

. ATTACHMENT FOR'BBDSTEADS AND THB LIKE.

APPLIGATION FILED 1111.119, 1909.'

THE Nmzms PETERS ca., w/nsmucron, v c4 J. TAYLOR. ATTACHMENT POR BEDSTBADS AND THE LIKE.

APPLICATION PILID JLY 19, 1909.

Patented Nov. 15, 1910.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

W /fw JAMES TAYLOR, 0F LONDON, ENGLAND.

ATTACHMENT FOR BEDSTEADS AND THE LIKE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented N ov. 15, i910.

Application filed July 19, 1909. Serial No. 508,503.

To all 'whom tt may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES TAYLOR, a subliect of the King of England, residing at 236 Pentonville road, Kings Cross, in the county of London, England, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Attachments for Bedsteads and the Like; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

' This invention relates to an attachment for bedsteads and the like and refers to a simple device which can be folded into a small compass, say, against the back of the bed or the like and when opened out forms a back rest, combined with a table, reading desk or the like.

According to one way of carrying out this invention, I provide a frame, preferably rectangular in shape, and I pivot to each of the side members of the frame, preferably about the middle of such members, two arms, which carry at their other ends a table, reading desk or the like. Pivoted to said arms atany suitable part between the back frame and the table or the like is another frame carrying the back rest. The upper ends of the frame carrying the said rest are also preferably connected to the top or other suitable position on the back frame which gives the back rest an inclination dependent upon the position of the side arms carrying the table, but at the same time enables the whole device consisting of the back rest and table and arms and other parts connected t-o them to be folded fiat against the back.

It will be understood that the back rest is pivoted to the side arms at such distance from the table, reading desk or the like that the device can be pulled down and placed in position .with the patient sitting up in bed, there being plenty of space left for this purpose. The back rest before referred to may be provided with any suitable material for supporting the back. For instance, it may consist of a frame with laths stretched across or it may be caned after the manner of a chair seat or provided with stuffing or up holstering or it may be furnished with springs or the like, or in some cases it may have a loose upholstered cushion which can be attached to it and readily removed for cleaning and other purposes when required.

To facilitate the raising of the whole attachment when required I may in some cases adapt thereto a cord or the like attached to any suitable part passing over a pulley and communicating with a counterbalance weight which will be set in motion by a very slight push so that when it is required to move the apparatus out of the way very little force has to be exerted to effect this. IVith regard to the table this may in some cases be pivoted to the ends of the arms carrying it in such a way that it can be turned into an upright or other suitable position in order to clear the head of the patient as the apparatus is being moved into or out of position, or in place of pivoting the table to such arms I may fit it with tongues to slide in suitable grooves in the said arms means being furnished to retain it in any required position. i

Spring catches may be provided for locking the table or reading desk in position when required so that when used by the patient it is held quite rigid. And in order that this invention may be better understood, I will now proceed to describe the same with reference to the drawing accompanying this specication, in which z Figure 1 is a side elevation of the device fixed in position on a bed; Fig. 2 is a plan of same; Fig. 3 is a side elevation in the folded position. Figs. 4 to 7 are details hereinafter referred to.

The same letters of reference are employed to denote the same parts in all the views za is the framework forming the backrest, which may be caned, wired or provided with stufhng or the like at Z2 as previously described. Hinged to the sides of the framework a are two arms c, c. f is the table. This table has formed at the edges tongues which slide in grooves g in the arms c. The sides of the tongues are provided with flat springs 7L, one of which is shown dotted at Fig. 4L. The effect of these springs is to retain the table f wherever required when pushed along the grooves g. The outer ends of the arms c are connected by means of a cross piece CZ, which the motion of the table, reading desk or the like. Beneath the cross piece d are hinged two legs m provided with stops n to prevent them passing the vertical position. These supports m. are intended to rest on the bed or the like and take the weight. Each of the arms c may be provided with a number forms a stop to limit of recesses g so that the table lmay bel Hinged to the back of the framework a,

is a board s which may be replaced by a rectangular framework, if desired. rlhe edges of this board s slide in grooved guides such guides being the side members of a framework attached to one half of detachable hinges u. The framework is also provided at its center with two strengthening struts o so placed as to form a slot fw between them. Along this slot works a bolt which passes through a. hole in the board s and is provided with a fly nut z for locking the board s in any required position with respect to the frame carrying the grooves t,

thus enabling the back rest Z) to be placed in any required position.

The framework carrying the grooved members z5 is, as before stated, provided with one half u of hinges of peculiar formation, shown in greater detail at Figs. 5 and 6, from which it will be seen that the part u is the movable part forming the pin of the hinge, while the part 2 forms the fixed part.

Fig. 5 shows a front view of the parts to be fitted together and Fig. 6 shows side view of the parts fitted together. The convenience of the arrangement is that the parts are immediately attachable and detachable,

yas will be seen from comparing the various figures.

The fixed parts 2 of the hinges are attached to a clamping bar 3 which is fitted in front of the bed rails. At the back of the bed rails is fitted an attaching member shown in the drawings as comprising a board 4C (see Fig. 7 having two rows of holes 5, into any of which the clamping bolts 6 may pass in order to clamp the clamping bar 3 in position. This attaching member t is held to the top rail of the bed by means of suitable hooks 7, which hooks may pass through any of the holes 5 so as to vary the height of the whole device. 8

is an auxiliary clamping bar to further strengthen the arrangement. All the clamping bar bolts are provided with wing nuts to facilitate easy attachment and detachment. The board 4 is provided at each side at the top with pulleys 9. Over these pulleys 9 pass cords 10 connected at 11 to the back rest I) and to a weight. I prefer to make this weight in the form of a chamber for containing water and the like so that such weight may be varied to suit requirements of particular cases.

In adjusting the device, assuming that it is folded up as shown at Fig. 3, where it will be seen that the hinged framework form-ed by the board s and grooved framework t lies within the back of the frame a; and that the arms c are folded against the said framework a and held in that position by the springs T, the weight keeping the whole device up in this closed position, the patient is set up in bed and then the framework is folded downward until it meets the bed, and adjusted at a suitable angle for the patients comfort, the board s having been suitably adjusted in the grooved framework t and the bolt fr having been tightened up in the required position. When a back rest alone is necessary this is all that need be done, but when it is required to provide a table or reading desk, the arms c are released from engagement with the two clips 1 and the table f is lowered, care being taken to avoid the patients head during the operation. When it is in the lowered position, it is adjusted by sliding to the required position. The legs m are rested upon the bed and the patient then has the table in front of him or her, and has, in addition, the advantage of the support of the arms c.

It will be understood that I may modify the constructional details of carrying out my invention without departing from the principle thereof.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States of America,

l. In a bed attachment, the combination of a back rest, an extensible support pivotally connected at one end thereto, an attaching member secured to the bed frame, a cross bar and means for adjusting same vertically of said attaching member, and hinged connections between said cross bar and the other end of said extensible support, substantially as described.

2. In a bed. attachment, the combination of a back rest, an extensible support pivotally connected at one end thereto, an attaching member carried by the'bed frame and vertically adjustable thereon, a cross bar adjusted vertically of said attaching member, and hinged connections between said cross bar and the other end of said extensible support, substantially as described.

3. In a bedstead, the combination of a back rest, an extensible support pivotally connected at one end thereto, an attaching member provided with a plurality of vertically arranged openings, a cross bar adjustable along said openings, and hinged connections between said cross bar and the other end of said extensible support, substantially as described.

4. In a bed attachment, the combination of a back rest, an attaching member provided with a pair of vertical rows of openopenings to adjustably secure said member to the bed frame, a cross bar provided with attaching means cooperating with said openings to adjustably support said cross bar thereon, an extensible support hinged at one end to said back rest, and hinged connections between the other end of said support and said cross bar, substantially as described.

5. In a bed attachment, the combination of a back rest, a rectangular member, a rectangular threesided member having channeled sides :receiving the side edges oi said rectangular member, means for adjustably securing said members together, means pivotally connecting one of said members to said back rest, and means for pivotally connecting the other of said members to the bed frame, substantially as described.

6. In a bed attachment, the combination of a back rest, a rectangular member, a three-sided member having channeled ends receiving the edges of said rectangular member, said three-sided member being provided with a slotted strut extending inwardly, and a thumb screw connected to said rectangular member and coperating with said slot to adjustably lock said members together, one of said members being hinged to said back .rest and the other of said members being pivotally connected to the bed frame, substantially as described.

7. In a bed attachment, the combination of a back rest, a support extending between said back rest and the bed, means for hanging said support to said back rest and said bed, a pulley mounted on said bed, and a cable connected at one end to said back rest, reeving over said pulley and provided at its other end with a weight, substantially as described.

8. In a bed attachment, the combination of a back rest, an attaching member adjustably mounted on the bedstead, a cross bail adjustably mounted on said attaching means, an adjustable support between said back restand said cross bar and pivotally connected at its respective ends, pulleys, mounted on said attaching member, and cables secured at one end to said back rest, thence passing over said pulleys, and provided at their other end with weights, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof, I affix my signature, in presence of two witnesses.

JAMES TAYLOR.

Witnesses ALEX BROWNE, HAROLD ROWLEY. 

